Salon Management Schools and Programs
With over 141,000 spa managers in the United States, spa management is a rapidly-growing field with plenty of room for ambitious salon professionals. Read on to learn more about this exciting career path and let BeautySchools.com help you find a spa management school near you.
Browse All Salon Management Schools in the U.S.
You must attend a school that is approved by your state to provide training in the discipline you want to practice. Check with the school and the state board to be sure that your program of study will prepare you for any applicable state licensure.
Click on your state to find beauty schools near you!
- Alabama
- Alaska
- Arizona
- Arkansas
- California
- Colorado
- Connecticut
- Delaware
- District of Columbia
- Florida
- Georgia
- Hawaii
- Idaho
- Illinois
- Indiana
- Iowa
- Kansas
- Kentucky
- Louisiana
- Maine
- Maryland
- Massachusetts
- Michigan
- Minnesota
- Mississippi
- Missouri
- Montana
- Nebraska
- Nevada
- New Hampshire
- New Jersey
- New Mexico
- New York
- North Carolina
- North Dakota
- Ohio
- Oklahoma
- Oregon
- Pennsylvania
- Rhode Island
- South Carolina
- South Dakota
- Tennessee
- Texas
- Utah
- Vermont
- Virginia
- Washington
- West Virginia
- Wisconsin
- Wyoming
Training Overview and Requirements
To become a successful spa or salon manager, you need a variety of business skills. Most programs allow you to earn a certificate. Depending on which school you attend, you may be able to graduate in 6 to 12 months while earning 15 to 30 credits. Many cosmetology schools offer spa management programs, but you may also be able to find programs at two-year colleges.
During your spa management training, you can plan on taking courses in customer service, staff leadership, safety compliance laws, billing and business finance, and spa marketing. Together, these courses give you a thorough overview of the various skills required of spa managers.
The Day-to-Day Schedule of a Spa Management Graduate
After you graduate with a spa management certificate and begin your career, you may wonder what your daily schedule will be like. Your day may start with opening the salon, making sure all scheduled staff members are present, ensuring that the salon is clean and stocked for clients, and verifying any interviews or product deliveries that you have scheduled.
Some salons require spa/salon managers to be certified in cosmetology or a specialty area. If you do have cosmetology certification, you may be expected to step in and help clients if a staff member calls in sick. Since you may have to fill in for other staff members, you may work some irregular hours, including nights and weekends.
Your day will mostly be spent in two areas: the office and the salon floor. In your office, you tend to finances, ordering, interview scheduling, and other business tasks. On the salon floor, you ensure that clients are happy, make sure that staff members are working efficiently, and take care of any issues that arise.
Baltic News reports on new research in the field of sustainable spa management. This is a growing trend, so part of your job may involve conserving energy and finding new ways to run your salon sustainably.
Spa Management Certification Requirements
Spa management certification requirements vary from state to state, so you may want to check on your state’s laws before pursuing a spa management certificate. Some cosmetology boards require salon managers to be fully licensed in cosmetology, so you may need to maintain your licensure.
Career Outlook for Spa Management Graduates
In general, O*Net reports a strong job outlook for spa managers. They anticipate that job openings may increase by 8% to 14% between 2012 and 2022, leading to over 74,000 new jobs throughout the decade (O*Net, 2012). O*Net indicates that the average annual salary for a spa manager is $35,150 per year. You may be able to earn more as you gain expertise and seniority in the field.